🌴 What to Expect When Visiting Virgin Gorda “The Baths” from St. Thomas (With Kids!)
If you're visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands, pack your passport and don’t skip Virgin Gorda. It’s stunning, easy to reach from St. Thomas, and way more family friendly than you'd expect. It’s also the easiest way to get a passport stamp.
We booked through Cruz Bay Watersports at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, and it was honestly one of the smoothest travel days we’ve ever had, even with a little kid we brought our 4 yo.
🚤 Getting There (Stress-Free Travel)
Booked directly through Cruz Bay Water Sports at the Ritz Carlton T
The excursion started at 8 am so we arrived at the Ritz Carlton at 7:30 am
Handed over our passports at check-in they handled immigration for us on the way there
No long lines or paperwork just show up and go
Took a small raft to the larger boat anchored offshore
2-hour ride to Virgin Gorda which felt more like a private cruise because it was so nice having a smaller group (ours was 20ish people)
Light breakfast was included (pastries, egg bites, fruit & juice)
Pro tip: Sit at the front of the boat we had it all to ourselves because everyone stayed inside or was on the top.
My daughter colored during the ride which was nice and while the crew pointed out celebrity-owned islands and houses (Otter box, Kenny Chesney, even the Epstein islands 😳)
🪨 Exploring The Baths (The Main Attraction)
Arrived at Virgin Gorda and loaded into an open air truck
Drove straight to the top of The Baths National Park
No waiting in line the guided tour has priority access
Short hike down into the Baths (easy, but includes stairs and a few ladders)
Path weaves through giant granite boulders, caves, and tide pools
Felt like a natural playground my daughter loved it
Plenty of photo ops throughout the path
Ends on a beautiful beach where you can swim, snack, or relax
🍴 Lunch With a View
Hike back up to a mountaintop restaurant
You ordered on the boat and they had a good menu, I choose sushi, my husband had fish and chips and our daughter had chicken tenders
Lunch, sodas, and access to a pool are included (the pool is only about 3 feet deep, and this was my daughter’s favorite because she could stand ‘like an adult"‘, according to her)
Alcoholic drinks available for $10 (not bad for an island bar!)
Chill, grab souvenirs, or take a dip in the pool
No rushing plenty of time to rest before heading back
🐠 Snorkeling Stop (Chystal Clear Water)
On the way back, we stopped at a snorkeling reef
Staff provided snorkels, fins, and floats
Saw turtles, fish, coral, and caves even better than we expected
The water was clear and calm easy for beginners and kids
Brought a GoPro and got amazing underwater footage I even saw a turtle as soon as I put my head in the water
After a busy day we had about an hour and a half ride back to St Thomas with a stop in St John for customs & immigration
🛂 Customs in St. John
Quick stop in St. John for U.S. customs
Fastest customs experience I’ve ever had because there is no lines, no baggage
Back in St. Thomas by late afternoon we arrived back around 4:00pm.
👩👧 What to Bring (Kid-Approved Packing List)
✅ Passport
✅ Towel
✅ Reef-safe sunscreen
✅ Waterproof GoPro or phone case
✅ Light activity for the boat (coloring book, stickers, etc.) if you’re traveling with kids
✅ Change of clothes or swimsuit cover
✨ Things to Know Before You Go
💧 Water + sodas included on board
🍹 Alcoholic drinks available for purchase at the resturant but OPEN BAR on the way back after snorkeling on the boat
🛟 Snorkel gear provided, so no need to pack your own
🧃 Breakfast included on the way there, lunch included after the Baths
🧼 Not stroller friendly, bring a baby carrier if needed for the short hike
🛍️ Minimal shopping bring what you need, but you’ll have a few shops at lunch if you want
💵 Bring cash for a tip for the guides, but they also took Venmo otherwise the tour covers almost everything (minus the adults drinks at the lunch)
🏝️ Final Thoughts
This day felt like three adventures in one: a boat day, a hike, and a beach trip with snorkeling as the cherry on top.
It’s easy, exciting, and totally doable with kids. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, I actually really want to go back.
